I would have welcomed the opportunity to set up a 40 foot ladder in the snow.......The ability to stick the base into the ground eliminates the need for addition people usually required for safe set up......

I have been on many ladders, and very few times will a tree impede "My" ability to get in....

Tie, bungy or rope the ladder in if need be.....The painting "type" extension arms that attach to the top can make "some" feel more stable.......

The way I look at it is....I have to get "there" to fix the hole anyway.........

---Warrior mentioned setting a 110 over a hole and I confess I've tried this trick before with mixed results. more often being the trap fired. I'd like to see your version Warrior, of how you MOUNT a 110 kill trap on a flat wood surface. Shelf w/ bracket?---

Iím not Warrior, but here is how I set 55ís over a squirrel hole. I prefer the 55 over the 110. I donít have any squirrels in my soffits or walls so used a piece of plywood for illustrative purposes.Make a Conicubby out of Ĺ X 1 inch mesh weld wire. See pictures-

Attach Conicubby over hole using fender washer and screws. To prevent viewing of trapped squirrels by the public I usually run a length of 16 gauge wire from the trap to ground level. Run the wire through the trap chain ring and place a trap stop at the bottom of the wire. When the trap is fired, it will kick out of the cubby and slide down the wire. I have sometimes used a brick as a trap stop and placed the brick in a bucket on the ground. The squirrel usually ends up in the bucket. Body grip traps are not 100% kill traps, so use good judgment when using them.

I use positive catch set-ups for all of my squirrel trapping. Probably 80% of my gray squirrel trapping is done with the Tomahawk M-80 with a nosecone. Tomahawk

The nosecone can be attached up (for soffits), down (for roof holes), left or right (for walls), or modified for other circumstances..

I run into many instances that squirrels are entering where a soffit meets a lower roof and there is not room to set the M-80. For these, I have built some smaller positive catch traps. Nosecones are manufactured, on site, to fit the situation.

For flying squirrels, a smaller homemade version to the M-80 is used when possible.

You beat me to it Ron! I was going to ask why you would go through all the trouble of taking a conibear up there and only being able to catch one squirrel at a time. Even if there's only one, you have a better idea if there's only one in the repeater cage.

My only question is, doesn't having the regular cage on top of or beside the repeater, cause a lot of sprung cages?

--- My only question is, doesn't having the regular cage on top of or beside the repeater, cause a lot of sprung cages?

Not really. But it sure helps to catch those that may have been outside the structure when the trap is set. I am trying to catch all, but only, those squirrels actually using that entrance. Around here, it seems that only one female and her last litter of young actually live in the attic at a time. When the new litter is due, Mom runs the previous litter off. But some of the previous litter still want to return. I want to catch them too (to prevent call-backs). Yes all entrances are sealed when the traps are removed. I have also found that as the latest litter begins exploring, but aren't going outside yet, Mom seems to want some peace of mind and doesn't stay inside with them all day. Kind of like us with kids going through the "terrible two's". I try to make most of my squirrel setups after the morning and before the afternoon feeding periods, when they should all be inside. Often TIME doesn't allow that though. What are your experiences in your part of the world?

Yesterday I ran across something really rare: AN INTELLIGENT CUSTOMER. He had a squirrel loose in his basement. When I got to his house, he was still in the basement watching the squirrel. He told me it was by a window, behind a pile of cardboard, and if I went over there it would jump on a pile of carpeting that was piled five feet high between the furnace and the basement wall.

I thanked him for this valuable information and went over to the pile of carpeting. I set up a 7" by 8" Safeguard on top of the carpeting and flush with the wall. I held it in place and closed off the rest of the space with a handy cardboard box.

I then proceeded to set up another cage by the window, which caused the squirrel to get nervous and jump into the first cage. I yelled "Bingo, we got him. I'm getting better at this." To which my customer replied, "Better, you're already a genius."

I told you he was intelligent.

What's the difference between a northern zoo and a southern zoo?At a southern zoo, after the description of the animal they have A RECIPE

Absolutely..... My preference by far as compared to driving a railroad spike with a feather duster. I would never suggest purchasing such equipment just for squirrel or other standard critter work.... I have it due to the large number of bat jobs and bird netting jobs I perform, mostly on 2.5 and 3 story homes, churches, condos, truck docks, storefronts, etc.

However, since it is sitting there with all the rest of my equipment, in those rare cases where a squirrel or coon job requires some extra-high access, I never hesitate to utilize it for such work. I will often use it for tall structures that I could reach with a 32-foot ladder, but I prefer the safety aspect of using the lift. It's awesome for installing large chimney caps on 3-story homes.

I also prefer the 55 size trap for squirrels but would strongly suggest going to the 60. I do not use the one spring 55's anymore, yes it'll hold. but I have had to make one too many trips out to quite down a squirrel in the middle of the night. The 60 is a much more humane trap where I need it to be. and the second spring makes it easier to stablize.